Former director of public prosecutions Sir Keir Starmer has been selected to stand for Labour as a replacement for outgoing Holborn and St Pancras MP Frank Dobson at next year’s general election.

Sir Keir, 52, who served as head of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) between 2008 and 2013, beat off competition from four other candidates in a selection contest decided by Holborn and St Pancras Labour members on Saturday.

Sir Keir won a majority of votes at the hustings, ahead of former Camden Council leader Raj Chada, current leader Cllr Sarah Hayward, NHS consultant Dr Patrick French and West Hampstead councillor Angela Pober.

The selection race was triggered by Mr Dobson’s announcement in July that he will stand down at May’s general election after 36 years as Holborn and St Pancras MP.

Sir Keir will now battle to become the next Holborn and St Pancras MP against Conservative candidate Will Blair, Liberal Democrat Jill Fraser and Green Party leader Natalie Bennett.